__twocolumncontent.jpg)
In 1997, Keith Olbermann left ESPN after five years under what was considered cantankerous and controversial circumstances.
But like the mythological Phoenix, the relationship between Olbermann and the self-proclaimed worldwide leader in sports has risen from the ashes.
ESPN said today that Olbermann would host a late-night show, simply titled ”Olbermann,” beginning Aug. 26.
“Apart from the opportunity to try to create a nightly hour of sports television that no fan can afford to miss, I’m overwhelmed by the chance to begin anew with ESPN,” Olbermann said during a media phone conference to unveil the renewed relationship. “I’ve been gone for 16 years and not one day in that time has passed without someone connecting me to the network… I could apologize 1,000 times and we could get everybody who ever took offense to something I did, and bring them all to one place and we would probably need Yankee Stadium.”
The show will air on ESPN 2 with a focus on the “day’s relevant sports topics through a mix of perspective and commentary, interviews, contributors, panel discussions and highlights,” according to ESPN.
“They are not restraining me; they don’t have to,” said Olbermann. “I don’t intend to be political in the sense of my previous jobs . . . I know we can’t go back and undo everything that happened many years ago in those environs, but I would like to do my best to correct as much of it as I can and I appreciate the fresh start.”
The show is scheduled for 11:00 p.m. (ET) from ABC’s studios in New York’s Times Square. However, the time is flexible. According to ESPN, “‘Olbermann’ will often immediately follow live events on ESPN2, starting with US Open tennis Aug. 26, leading to some flexibility in the show’s start times depending on the length/timing of the events.”
After leaving ESPN, Olbermann went on to have stints at NBC, MSNBC and Fox—and actually came back to ESPN Radio in 2005 for a two-and-a-half year run.
According to John Skipper, ESPN president, “Keith is a one-of-a-kind personality and these shows will be appointment viewing for that very reason. Keith brings a blend of editorial sophistication and unpredictability—you can never be sure what you’ll get.”
“Our histories are indelibly intertwined and, frankly, I have long wished that I had the chance to make sure the totality of that story would be a completely positive one,” said Olbermann. “I’m grateful to friends and bosses—old and new—who have permitted that opportunity to come to pass. I’m not going to waste it.”
Tags: